edited by HARRIET G. FRIEDSTEIN Rochester Institute of Technology P.O. Box 9887 Rochester. NY 14623
media e change Those of us in the northern states are in the grips of a cold, snowy winter. With the reduced dayliaht and cold temperatures, most of us are spending more time indoors. This kxtra time can he used to great advantage by developing new ideas and integrating them into our daily classroom activities. Stagnation is like a festering sore, it could eventually kill you. That does not mean that you should change for the sake of change alone. Keep all these great lessons going, since your students av~reciatethat. but i m ~ r o v ethose weak ones. and your studeh'ts will appreciate that, too. Best of all, yourfeelines will eet an unlift as vou venture into new territorv with " anew text, a new demonstration, anew technique, a new slide show, or just a new you.
Recombinant DNA: What it is and Recombinant DNA: Industrial Promise Format: Time: Cat. No.: Price:
Audio Cassette 15 min each side 1022, 1023 (transcripts) $7 (10% discount for accompanying payment) Supplier: Man and Molecules American Chemical Society 1155 Sixteenth St., NW Washington, D.C. 20036 This cassette taoe. which deals with recombinant DNA. is part of the American Chemical Society's long stmditit. !&tt and .\lulrculrs radio series. In mmr cilies rhe 15-mi11proyr;un i broadcait several timea a week on the I,.cal Narional I'uhlic Radio.st:uiun. Oneom unlw ~ a s s i : i I~wr i t iilnd ur trmsrril~ts of the programs from the above address. The tape reviewed here consists of two 15-min interviews by Stuart Finley with scientists working in the field. On side one, "Recombinant DNA: What It is," Mr. Finley interviews Dr. Lynn Enquist of the National Cancer Institute and National Institute of Health in Bethesda, Maryland. The tape begins with an explanation of the recombinant DNA laboratory technique. As Dr. Enquist describes it one "takes a piece of DNA from one organism and joins it to a small self-replicating piece of DNA from a simpler organism and then propagates that joint molecule in the simpler organism." In other words, a kind of chemical factory is established. Dr. Enquist covers three Topics: 1) What is DNA and what does i t do in living organisms? 2) Haw is DNA moved from one organism to another and what
cheaper than current methods with the aid of the new biotechnology. The pharmaceutical applications are perhaps now making the most headlines with prospects for bacterial manufacture of insulin, interferon, growth hormones, and artificial fertilizer. T o really have much of an understanding of this tape, especially the first side, students should have had a hiology course where the subject of DNA was presented. This tape would best be used in an organic chemistry section after bonding had been talked about. I would recommend its use in a second-year biology or honors hiology or a second-year chemistry course. I t should he presented for enrichment, to show this very promising application that probably 1s not included in most current textbooks. The tape is excellent for teacher reference on this important emerging laboratory technique. And, the transcripts can he ordered independently which would he iust as useful. The overall technical quality of the tape is good. The narrator was easy to understand but the interviewees sometimes spoke too quickly for one to catch everything that was said. The taues andlor transcripts are the onlv components of the program, with no accompanying materials. LEE R. MAREK Naperville Nonh Hlgh School Na~ewille,IL 60566
The moelcular theory of matter Format: Time: Cat. No.: Price: Supplier:
16 mm. film 11 min 2227 $170. Rental: $14. Encyclopedia Britannica Educational Corp 425 North Michigan Ave. Chicaoo. IL 60611 This film is useful &r both college and high school students. There is no flashy photography and the film is somewhat unexciting but it does an excellent job of presenting the basics of the kinetic molecular theory. Many good demonstrations are done which clearly illustrate the theory. Students follow the film very easily so they learn most of the concepts presented. Our students liked this film. RICHARD P. DAVENPORT CAPTAIN United States Air Force Academy Colorado Springs, Colorado 80840
tools are needed? 3) Why make recombinant DNA?
Side two "Recombinant DNA: Industrial Promise" Dresents an intrrview with Dr. Stcphrn'l'urner, prrsidriir and titunder of h t h e i d a Rcacarch 1.i1l1.s.a tomn;~n\.\wrkl~iri n thr field new trkks." It is felt by many that recomhinant DNA research and applications will eventually have as major an impact on society as the transistor has had in electronics; that this research will change the face of the chemical industry and the way chemicals are produced. Dr. Turner sees industry producing both food stuffs and chemicals (such as petroleum products) by processes that are both pollution free and 166
Journal of Chemical Education
Powers of Ten1 Readers who have used the film "Powers of Ten" . . . . should realize that this popular film produced by Charles Eames is now available in an entirely new version. The transitions from actual photographs to artist's renditions in this film occur so subtly that only a trained eye will catch the change. The treatment of molecules, atoms, and subatomic
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Reprinted from IAC Newsletter, Winter 1981-Dave Tanis, IAC Newsletter Editor, Holland Christian HS, 950 Ottawa Ave., Holland, MI 49423
